The workshop was organised to share overview information on labour market trends, under the impact of the digital era and the COVID-19 pandemic, including digital skills for workers and some employment issues in the economy of Vietnam.
At the seminar, high-ranking delegates from international organisations and businesses shared practical experiences, on ensuring social security for employees in the new context.
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan, said that the impact of digital transformation, especially under the impact of the global health crisis, has affected the domestic labour-job market.
 |
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan speaks at the workshop. |
At the conference, Andree Mangels - General Director of ManpowerGroup Vietnam shared: “The constantly changing technology means the need to continuously update digital skills for employees. Enterprises need to flexibly apply for skills improvement programmes and develop a training strategy with a long-term vision so that employees can take on current jobs and even new future positions.
Under the development and application of digital technology, biotechnology, robots, new materials, the Industrial Revolution 4.0 is accelerating globally and directly affects Vietnam. Under the dual influence of industry 4.0 and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is predicted that major changes in labour supply and demand will take place within the next 3-5 years.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by the fourth industrial revolution. The country currently faces many challenges in terms of the quality of human resources. Its proportion of highly skilled workers accounts for just over 11% of the total workforce (according to research by ManpowerGroup); labour productivity is lower than in many Asian countries and foreign language proficiency is also very low. In the digital era, workers with simple skill levels will be the most affected and have a higher risk of job loss.
According to statistics in Vietnam, 68% of jobs currently require digital literacy with basic digital skills, while one-fifth of jobs need particularly intensive digital skills. Besides, the use of digital skills at different levels in Vietnam is also different from other countries in the region and the world.
